The Guardian
by Azdo
Summary: When an ancient being is discovered on Earth, SG1 hurry to find it. However the being is not what they had expected to find. They must make sense of the appearance of this being before its too late
1. Chapter 1

"The mineral deposits on '387 turned out to be a dud sir," Sam said. The team sat around the briefing room table down right bored from the uneventful mission that had taken them three days to deam a total waste of time. "There were no traces of naquada anywhere in the mines, and the ruins held no information. Just plain rock. The UAV didn't..." A bright beam of light filled the room and Thor appeared at the end of the table.

"Greetings SG1 and General Hammond. I apologize for my intrusion." Thor began. "But I have some very good news."

"Thor, "Sam greeted, "How are you?"

"I am well Major Carter as I hope the same for all of you." Thor looked to the General. "Our sensors have detected the presence of an active ancient here on earth."

"An ancient?" Sam and Daniel said in unison.

"Not exactly an ancient. Our theory is that it is in fact an ancient decendant. One to that may possess the knowlege to be used against the Gould. When doing more research, we discovered it is coming from a Tauri outside of this facility."

"Whoa, wait, you're saying this ancient is here? Not like in some hidden city under the ice that we're going to have to find, but like here here?" Daniel asked getting excited.

"Yes. We have put a tracer on the signal." Another beam appeared leaving in its place a metalic machine.

"Why didn't we pick up the signal before this. How long has this person been here?" Sam though aloud.

"We are unsure. Perhaps the ancient wants to be found." Thor answered

"Thats a little uncharacteristic for the ancients." Daniel said watching Sam poking a finger at the machine sitting in front of her on the table.

"So you're saying this person is an ancient that made itself visible to us why?" Jack asked confused

"We'll have to track him down and find out." Daniel said more excited then ever

"How do we find him?" the General asked finally.

"The tauri we speak of is female. She resides in a small village 124.4 miles from where you are at this moment." The machine activated and a holographic image of a young woman appeared, floating above it, causing Sam to jump and pull her hand back. The woman looked to be in her late twenties, with steely blue eyes that seemed to be focused on the team.

"Thats her?" Daniel asked staring at the image.

"Yes."

"So what do we do with her when we find her?" Jack asked

"We'll figure it out." The General started, "I'll make a phone call to the President. Prepare yourselves for a road trip. Dismissed."

"Can you believe that?" Sam asked Daniel as they made their way to his lab. "She could have been here on Earth all this time and we would have had no idea. Why do you think she chose now to come forward?"

"Maybe she knows something we don't."

Sam furrowed her eyebrows in thought. The possibility had run through her mind that this ancient reveling herself was a foresight into things that may be about to happen. With as much problems as they have had with rules of the ancients, Sam had a feeling it was not a good thing.

An hour later, General Hammond found them all sitting in Daniels lab talking.

"I just got off the phone with the President. He's ordered a recovery. Go find her at all costs and bring her back." he ordered. "Thor has downloaded her tracer into your GPS. SG1, you have a go."

"Are we there yet?" Daniel asked for the third time from the back seat of the rental car. His eyes held childlike enjoy at the annoyance he was causing Jack.

"Shut up and read your book" Jack yelled from the drivers seat

"I can't it makes me nausious."

"You get car sick?" Sam asked looking in the rear view mirror.

"I'm fine now." he answered, "Are we getting close?"

Sam grimaced, "the town should only be about another 20 miles, then we have to try and find her."

"Actually thats probably going to be the easy part. What with our locator and all." Daniel added. Getting a nod from all passengers.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Green Acres." Jack said as they entered a small town, which reminded him of sitcoms he used to watch as a child.

"I thought the town we were going to was called Carson falls?" Tealc asked.

"Ok, maybe this won't be hard to find her at all." Sam commented taking in the small town streets.

To there right was an old fashioned barber shop with the spinning red and blue stripes. An elderly man sitting out on a bench with a newspaper, as if pulled straight from an episode of Andy Griffith. Next to that was a general store with a small parking lot, with 4 of the 5 parking spots vacant. To their left side was a post office, an American flag waving in the wind above it. Some small children running down the sidewalk with a small puppy on a leash chasing after them.

"Okay is it just me, or is this just weird?" Daniel asked stopping as a young couple walked across the street in front of them.

"I didn't think places like this existed anymore." Sam answered.

"Perhaps we should show the photograph to the local people of this town."

Sam rolled down the window and caught the attention of a older man walking down the sidewalk.

"Excuse me sir," she began, "do you know this woman?" she handed him the picture of the woman they had printed from the machine Thor had shown them.

"Course!" he answered with a drawl, "Thats Jess Haskel. Everyone knows Jess!"

"Do you know where we can find her?"

"Shes at the feilds now I would imagine. Championship games bout to start. Its the showdown game!"

"Showdown game?" Daniel asked

"You bet. Haskel against Coleman, its been neck in neck all season, its gonna be brutal!"

"How do we get to the feild?" Sam asked.

"Keep followin this street til you hit the third stop sign. Make a left and follow that road for about a mile. Its right next to the park, Theyll be lots of traffic, you can't miss it!" he offered.

"Okay, Thanks alot." Sam waved and followed the mans directions.

"Well that was easier than expected." Daniel commented

"It is sometimes easier to simply ask." Tealc commented with a grin.

Jack pulled the car up into the dirt parking lot of the baseball feild they had finally found.

"This is traffic?" Sam commented getting out of the car and stretching.

"I am unfamilar with this game?" Tealc commented watching some random people throwing a ball back and forth. On a feild across the parking lot they heard the clank of a ball being hit by an aluminum bat and loud cheering.

"Its called softball. Its a sport. Alot like baseball" Jack answered

"What is its purpose?"

"Theres two teams. At anytime there is one team out on the feild, and the other is in the dugout, with runners and batters on the feild. The object is to hit the ball and run around the bases to score points before the other teams gets you out." Sam explained as they walked toward the feild. Once they got to the feild they climbed up the bleachers and sat down immediately scanning the feild for someone that looked like their objective. As Daniel was about to ask someone, a player stepped up to bat and the croud on the other side of the feild cheered.

"Im assuming thats Coleman." Sam commented. The pitch was thrown and with a smooth swing of the bat the ball was airborn in a high fast flight toward left feild. The player in left feild made a sprint for the ball and with a stretching dive grabbed the ball out of the air before landing on the ground, gaining a few grass stains to her uniform shirt. With a powerful rotation of the arm the ball was rocketed back in feild to third base, catching the guy in a desperate sprint for the base.

"Out!" yelled the umpire, and both sets of bleachers went wild.

Boos and Geers rang out from across the feild. Where alot of clapping and whistles roared from the bleachers the team found themselves sitting on.

"Atta girl Jess! Show 'em how its done!" The man next to Daniel yelled, standing and whistling. The grass stained out feilder blew a kiss to the bleachers as she jogged in to the dugout with her team to prepare to bat.

"Theres our girl." Jack whispered to Sam who nodded, wondering if he really thought she hadn't noticed that on her own.

"Is the object of the game to hit the runner with the ball?" Tealc asked

"No, actually they frown on that. They want to get the ball do the person on the plate before the runner gets there" Daniel said rubbing his eyes. The dust and fresh cut grass already bothering his allergies.

"I see"

After a few innings of the brutal, and very close runs, the team actually found themselves getting into the game. Jack had always enjoyed watching sports and had not watched a non professional game in years. He found it relaxing. Daniel went to the small concession stand and returned carrying a bunch of hot dogs. He handed them out and laughed at Teal'c's face as he scrutinized it.

"What is this?" he asked, looking at it discusted.

"You can't see youre first softball game without having a conssesion stand hot dog." he smiled

"I have no desire to eat a dog Dr. Jackson." he said frowning and handing it back

"Its not a dog, its just called that? Try it"

As Daniel tried to get Tealc to try the hot dog, Jess stepped up to the plate with bat in hand. A powerful fast pitch was thrown. With a thud it smacked the small woman in the back of the shoulder as she turned to keep it from hitting her in the face. When the umpire called the walk, she stayed put and shook her head. She motioned the ref to keep going and circled her shoulder around before raising the bat again. Sam grimaced.

The pitch, then CRACK, the ball made a quick beeline for right feild and Jess took off in a sprint around the plates. As she rounded second base, the outfeilder picked up the ball and through it in. She didn't stop. She rounded third and headed for home as the ball was thrown to the pitcher. She dropped to the ground in a perfect slide across home plate.

"Out!" yelled the umpire

"What the hell was that!" Jack yelled standing up with everyone else on the bleachers. "She was so there!"

"Out! I said out!" the umpire yelled throwing his hands up at the croud

"You must own shares of the other team!" Jack yelled letting the overall mood get the better of him.

"Sir." Sam said getting his attention, "shouldn't we keep a low profile here?"

"Its a game Carter. Relax" he argued.

Jack noticed the man next to him staring at him with a wide grin.

"Can I help you?" he asked

"He does have shares in the other team," the man snorted, "Hes the sponsor of the team."

"Isn't that against the rules?"

"Its a small town. Everyone is either friends with someone on either team."

"So who do you know? he asked determined to get a little information about the so called ancient.

"I'm a simply Haskel team guy. But them again I'm biased." he smiled

"Whys that?"

"Shoot son, see that little spitfire there in the blue and white?" he pointed to Jess. Jack nodded."Thats my pride and joy there."

"What do you mean?"

"Shes my granddaughter." he smiled ,"I practically raised her from a sprout."

"Her grandfather?" Sam asked again in suprise

"Yes ma'am, James" he extended his hand to her. "What do you all want with Jess anyways?" he asked turning his attention back to the game.

"What do you mean?." Jack asked playing dumb.

"I may be alot of things, but I dumb ain't one of them. A group of clean cut strangers stroll into town flashing pictures of my granddaughter around, you don't think I'd hear about it?"

"News travels fast." Jack commented looking back to the field.

"Its a small town." A serious look came over the older mans face. "What do you want with Jess?"

"We just want to talk to her." The man studied him carefully. Then he grinned and nodded.

The game ended with a 2 point lead in Haskel's favor. The croud quickly scattered and shuffled to the parking lot. Jess's grandfather stood and walked over to the dugout where Jess was putting a bat into a sports bag.

"Great game kid, " James said walking over and hugged her tightly. " Took quite a dive out there, needs cleaned," he pointed to the deep scrape down her forearm.

"Nah, its just a scratch. Wheres Tess?"

"Shes home setting up for the Barbeque." he turned to the team that had quietly walked up behind them. "Jess these people are here to talk to you."

" Hi," she outstretched a dirt and bloody scraped up hand to Tealc. He cocked his head to the side looking at it until Daniel reached over and shook it instead.

"Nice to meet you,"he said shaking it. "I'm Daniel, this is Jack, Sam, and Murray."

"What can I do for you?" she asked dumping some water on her hands and rubbing them together.

"Well we'd kinda like to talk to you about something," Daniel said glancing at James. "Its a bit of a long story Im affraid."

"Well how about you tell it over dinner," James smiled. "We've got a championship game BBQ set up at the house. Its goin to be quite the party, You're welcome to join us."

"Party you say." Jack said not seeing a choice.

As they followed Jess's pickup truck down the bumpy dirt roads, Jack called General Hammond to update him on the finding their ancient. The fact of the matter was that Jack was begining to doubt that this woman was who they thought she was. She didn't seem very ancient to him.

"Remember Colonel, bring her back here at all costs, but no one else can know anything about this. You have to get her away from the party in order to tell her."

"Understood sir." With that Jack hung up the phone and nodded to Sam.

The black 4 wheel drive pulled up through a row of overhanging willow trees with the SG team following closely behind.

"They sure are friendly people." Sam commented taking in the scenes. The long shaded driveway let up to a large victorian style house

"If Jess Haskel is and ancient being, would her parents not also be ancient?" Tealc asked.

"Not nessesarily. Daniel ascended, but had nothing to do with his parents." Sam explained.

"Yes but Jess isn't glowing and speaking in philosophies either."Jack pointed out.

"Maybe its all a misunderstanding. None of this makes any sense to me." Daniel said while taking in the sight of the beautiful victorian house.

The house looked as though pulled straight from a movie. A little white picket fence surrounding the grassy yard. A small wooden swing hanging from a huge healthy willow tree. An american flag waving smoothly from the threshold. Where Sam thought it was beautiful, Jack had thought more along the lines of 'Twilight Zone'.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack pulled the car to a slow hault and they exited and stood next to the car, not really sure what to do next. Jess hopped out of the lifted truck and waved them over as she walked around the back side of the house.

"This isn't really what I had in mind." Jack said as they rounded the corner of the house and were greeted with a backyard full of people. Music played loudly by a live band and children ran around chasing each other.

"All this because of a softball game?" Daniel asked taking in the scene.

"Actually its a combination party." Jess said.

"Oh, what else are we celebrating?" Jack asked

"My father's 50th birthday." she grinned.

"50 you say?" Jack commented trying to calculate in his head how old Jess could be.

"That makes him what two years younger then you Jack" Daniel teased.

"Hey!"

"Make yourselves at home." Jess grinned and opened a cooler in front of them revealing an amazing assortment of beer. Jack's eyes lit up.

"Don't mind if we do!" Jack picked out a Coors.

"Jack!" Daniel whispered, "Don't you think drinking on the job is frowned upon?"

"Oh come on Danny. One beer isn't gonna hurt anything." Jack said and flashed a smile at Jess, she flashed back a sideways grin.

"So Jess!" he began, "do ya think we can go somewhere and talk for a few minutes?"

"Yeah sure, I'm sorry I forgot. Hmm," She looked around the back yard looking for a spot that wasn't overrun by the masses of people. "Come on in." she motioned for them to follow her as she walked into the house, dodging a small boy as he ran out with an arm full of water balloons.

The house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the out. Their feet tapped softly on the hard wood floors as she led them back into the quiet den. They all stepped in and she shut the double doors behind them. She motioned for them to sit. Jack and Sam sat down and a brown leather couch and were amazed at how far they sank into it. Tealc stood staring down at tiger striped blob on the floor and raised an eyebrow. The bean bag chair wasn't his first choice of places to sit, but he turned and sat on it regardless, causing Jess to raise and eyebrow and let loose another crooked smile. Daniel slowly wandered the room, studying its contents while Jack and Sam began the awkward conversation with the young woman.

"Miss Haskel, "Jack began.

"Jess." she corrected.

"Ok, Jess," he began again, "Were you born here in Colorado?"

"Yes, I was born here in Carson Falls."

"Really?"

"Yes, the doctor who delivered me is outside." she grinned. " I know, its very Mayberry."

"Do you have any reason to contact the Air Force, for any reason at all?" he asked.

"The Air Force?" Her face flashed with confusion. "Not that I'm aware of. Whats this about?" She looked around at the team. Her vision settled on Daniel who was intently looking over the titles of the books cluttering a bookshelf.

"We were told that you may want to be contacting us for something." Jacks brown eyes focused into her deep blue ones and he begged her to give him some sort of clue.

"Look around,"she grinned, "this is the easiest life anyone could dream of. I'm sure you all are very good at your jobs, and I totally respect everything you do. But I have no need for the military in my life."

"We have reason to believe that you are not who you say you are." Jack finally spat out.

"Uh, who do I say I am?" she was genuinely confused now.

"Is this yours?" Daniel asked, causing all of them to look at him.

In his hand he held a hard back copy of published works by none other then Dr. Daniel Jackson.

"Yes."

"Whats it about?" he asked curiously.

"The author was an archeologist. He had a theory that the Egyptian pyramids were actually landing sites for alien space ships."

"Really?" Jack asked

"Yeah, poor guy was laughed out of the feild. Brilliant guy."

"What do you think about all that?"

"What does it matter what I think about that?" she challenged.

"It doesn't really. I'm just curious."

"I think he was right." she confessed. "They pyramids are covered with markings that have nothing to do with Egypt."

"What if I told you you were right."

Jack stared intensly into her eyes. She held the stare for a few second until the urge to smile tugged lightly at her mouth. Then she cracked open a huge smile and shook her head back and forth. Then she leaned back in her chair and took a drink from her beer bottle.

"You guys are good. You had me goin there for a little while. Marcus sent you guys huh?" she laughed. "He's always picked on me for believing in that stuff."

"Marcus didn't send us." Sam said.

"Bull."she laughed, " I fell for it, okay. Where is the little punk?"

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He flipped it open, pulled out his Air Force ID and handed it to her. She read it carefully, the smile quickly falling from her mouth. She looked up at him desperately.

"Colonel?" she asked. He nodded.

"This is Major Carter, and that is," he pointed to Daniel who stood still holding the copy of his book," Well thats Dr. Daniel Jackson."

She let out a noise that sounded like a mix of a cough and a snort. Daniel waved.

"THE Dr. Daniel Jackson?" He nodded. She stood quickly from her chair and walked over to Daniel. She took the book from him and flipped to the back cover. She looked down at the picture of the author then up and Daniel. He had aged a bit, had a different hair cut but it was him. She poked him just to be sure.

"Ow," he said rubbing where she had poked him.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked looking around the room at the group.

"Sit down Jess, we have a lot to tell you." She slowly walked back over to her chair and sat down, opening up the other bottle of beer she had carried in with her after Daniel refused it.

"Daniel, maybe you should explain this to her, its more your area and shes already a little familar with your..stuff."

Daniel walked over to the group and began.

"You're right to believe my work. Everything I said about the pyramids is true. The human race is actually descended from a race of people known to us as the ancients. Now, the ancients somehow developed a way for them to ascend to a higher plane of existance. Before they ascended, they created a system of travel. They used a device called a Stargate to travel instantly to other worlds. However the ancients had an enemy. There is a race of beings called the Gould. They are intelligent parasites that take humans as hosts and claim to be Gods. The Goulds took the people of Earth through the stargate and populated other planets to work as slaves of the Goulds. Where they are not slaves, they are forced to served the Gould as Gods. We are members of a team that goes throught the stargate to other worlds exploring new worlds and searching for those the Gould have abandoned. Unfortunately the Gould are on to us and more times then we'd like to admit, they've come very close to destroying us."

Jack nodded his approval at the lecture Daniel had given and the light speed rate and which he had done it. Sam looked expectantly at Jess, who had turned an abnoraml color. She sat silently staring at Daniel before taking another swig of the beer.

"Jess?" Jack tested. Her eyes focused on him. "Did you catch all that?"

"You go to other planets?" she asked. He nodded. "You fight these Gould things?"

"Yes." Daniel answered.

"Where are the ancients?" They all glaced at each other.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thats a tricky question." Daniel stated. "We have reason to believe that you," he paused at the look on her face. She looked so innocent and confused. "Thats you are and ancient." he finished. Her eyebrows shot up.

"Me?" he nodded. "Dr. Jackson, I'm sorry, but do I look like an ancient being that would know how to ascend to a higher plane of existance? I have a hard enough time existing on this plane!"

"Don't we all." Jack tried to lighten spirits.

"Wouldn't I know if I were some supernatural being? Wouldn't I have some kind of psycic abilities or something?"

"We don't know why you're here." Sam spoke up. "We just recently found out that you were here."

"Maybe your source is wrong."

"This particular source is usually right on the money." Jack said.

"Maybe this time he is."

"Regardless, we are under orders to take you back with us. If it is all a misunderstanding, well have it all cleared up on you can go on exsisting here in Mayberry."

"What if I refuse?"

"As far as the Air Force is concerned, you are an alien entity residing on Earth during an intergalactic wartime. Do you really want to refuse to come with us?" Jack explained. Jess grimaced.

"Its my father's birthday." she whispered, tears brimming her eyes. "Can at least celebrate with my family? They won't understand if I leave."

Jack thought carefully, sneaking a glance out the window at a group of children running around blind folded while a few adults stood by watching them protectively. He nodded. She stood up slowly and walked to the door.

"Jess, you can't mention this to anyone, do you understand?"

"They wouldn't believe me if I did." she opened the door. "You're welcome to stay for dinner." she said quietly over her shoulder before walking out. Leaving the team in silence.

"That went suprisingly well." Sam said.

"Indeed" Tealc said from the overstuffed bean bag chair.

"She really owns a copy of your book?" Jack asked looking at the book in Daniels hand.

"Yeah," he looked smug, "Its signed too"

"What?" Sam's head whipped around to Daniel, "You've met her before?"

"No. It says Happy Birthday. It must have been a gift."

"Why would anyone buy a book written by someone that nobody respects and give it to someone as a birthday present?" Jack asked. "No offense." he added at Daniels objection.

"Beats me. Probably that Marcus guy."

Jess walked slowly out of the house setting the throwing the empty beer bottle away and reaching into a cooler for another one. She stood for a second and shook off the somber mood she felt. She had a party to attend and she didn't know when the next time she would see these friends would be. She ran a scraped up hand through her shoulder length hair and straightened her back. She plastered on a smile and entered the group of people.

SG1 walked around the house, taking in the scenes. Jack paused in front of a wall covered in photos. One of a little girl, wearing dirty overalls and a baseball cap on backwards holding up a small fish, with her father on his knee next to her smiling. Another of the same man holder a toddler on his lap as they both lounged across the couch. Another of the man and the teenage version of the girl standing on top of a mountain overlooking a vast forest. Both wearing hiking packs and smiles. Jacks heart hurt as he all these moments he didn't get to share with his son.

"Hey Carter," he called, "check this out." he pointed to the pictures.

"Theyre quite the pair aren't they?" she smiled

"Exactly." he said. She raised and eyebrow. "Pair Sam. Where's mom through all this."

He was right. Sam looked across the wall covered in photographs. Not a single one holding the image of a woman in Jess's life. Only her and her father. He shrugged

"Could be nothing."

Finally they made their way back out into the yard. They band had really picked up, people dancing all around, more then likely having a few drinks in them by now. The kids were done with their water fight and were all running amok in wet clothes, the boys all dirty and the girls screaming to get away from them. Jack made a quick beeline for the lined up tables holding a huge varity of good smelling food. He could not remember the last time he had actually had a home cooked meal, and these were the types of people that could cook. He pictured the women slaving away in the kitchen all morning cooking up these treats while everyone else was busy at the softball game, and decorating for the party. Yes the small town spirit was alive here.

A few hours later, the sun began setting, and people were slowly starting to leave. They had spotted Jess slowly dancing with an older man while random people snapped some photos of the smiling duo. They immediately recognized the man from the photos on the wall as Jess's father. He held a plastered on smile as he spun his only daughter around. Sam's eyes stung as she fought not to picture herself and Jacob doing the same thing. No, she would never have the luxury of being able to be so comfortable and relaxed with her father. Not ever again.

Jess caught Jacks eye over her fathers shoulder as she hugged him when the song ended. Her smile slowly faded and she led her father over to the group.

"Dad, this is Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, and...I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." she said to Tealc.

"I am Murray." Tealc answered extending his hand to her father. "I wish you a Happy Birthday"

"Ah, Thanks!" The man smiled. "Jessi here tells me, that you all are going to go on a little trip. Make sure you keep her outa trouble ya hear!" he laughed. Jess forced a smile at him.

"Shes in good hands sir." Jack assured him. "We'll have her back to you in no time."

Jess turned her father away and followed him a few feet. They could overhear her as she gave him direction.

"Listen Dad, I don't know when I'll be home. While I'm gone Im having Susan check on you. Please lay off the chocolate and don't forget to feed Buzz. I'll call every chance I get and I expect you to answer the phone when I do."

"Oh don't fuss. I'll be a man free of nagging for awhile!" he teased. She smiled and gave him a tight hug.

Jess motioned for Sam to join her. Sam stood and followed her into the house.

"I don't know what to bring. How much clothes should I bring?" she was nervous.

"Jess. Relax okay, nothing is going to happen to you honest. Just bring a few outfits and your basic weekend trip stuff. Anything else you need, will be supplied for you. Your not going drop off the face of the Earth. Hell, we're only going to Colorado Springs." Sam smiled

"Oh," she said sheepishly, " I was picturing more like the moon or something." Sam laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

They arrived at the base a little after 11pm. Jess followed closely as they walked through the security gate. She shyed away from the guard at the gate as they stopped to sign in. She felt so stupid carrying a duffle bag, following these people that seemed so comfortable and confident while stepping into an elvator surrounded by armed military guards. She held her breath as she watched the flicker of the numbers on the elevator as they decended deep into the mountain. 20, 21,22 23...How deep were they going?

The elevator stopped at 26 and the doors opened with a swish. They were greeted with concrete floors and walls, with pipes running along the ceiling. Jess let out the breath as they exited the elevator. More uniformed men wandered the halls. They made a quick right turn and Teal'c and Daniel broke off to the left, leaving her to follow Jack and Sam. They finally stopped in front of a big steel door with a little glass window. Jack opened the door and motioned for her to enter. She walked in and was greeted with a cold, grey room with double bed in the middle, a small plain night stand and a steel desk against the far wall.

"I know its not what you're used to, but you get used to it." Sam said sympathetically. "I'm right across the hall."

"Set your stuff down. We have one more stop before we let you turn in for the night." Jack instructed.

Jess set her duffle on the bed and followed them out of the room and back down the hallway. After a few minutes they walked up a short flight of stairs and entered a big room with a long oak table in the middle of it. Sam took a seat in an oversized chair on one side of the table and Jack pulled a chair out for Jess before taking his place on the other side. Shortly after, General Hammond entered the room, shirt slightly wrinkled from a day of sitting in his chair.

"Colonel, Major, I trust your mission went as planned?" Hammond nodded at the trio "Miss Haskel I appreciate you coming here willingly. I know that what you were told was not easy to believe."

"Uh, no sir. Not really/" She answered slightly embarassed. She was completely out of her element.

"I assure you that we are making absolutely sure that our information is correct. We were brought to the understanding that you were aware of who you are, and that you made yourself to be found. We are exploring other theories."

"With all do respect sir, I still don't know who it is Im supposed to be. Up until a few hours ago I was just a small town girl with a thing for science fiction." Sam grinned

"Understandable." Hammond continued. "We will get to the bottom of this and again we appreciate your cooperation and help in this matter. On to formalities." he slid a packet of papers across the table to her. "Inside you will find confidentiality papers. Everything you have seen and heard since you walked into this base does not exist. Everything relating to this program is a secret Miss Haskel and secrecy is considered a matter of national security."

"Do you have a pen?" she nodded at the General. He gave her an smile of approval and she signed her name on the papers.

"That all aside, I am ordering you to stay in your quarters tonight. Tomorrow you will have an appointment with our base doctor, and we'll try to see if we can't figure out exactly what is going on here. We'll decide what to do from there. Colonel, Major, Dismissed."

The General stood, along with Sam and Jack. Jess dumbly stood also as the General exited the room. They walked from the room and down the stairs to the hallway.

"One more stop first." Jack said as he veared left instead of right, Jess and Sam following him. He walked quickly into the commissary and grabbed a tray. "I don't know about you but I'm craving Jello." Jess grimaced.

"You don't like Jello?" he asked shocked. She shook her head. "Thats un-american. Here, have a cookie instead." He picked up a chocolate chip cookie and handed it to her. She followed them to a table and sat down. Jack dug hungrily into his Jello, as Sam slowly pecked at hers.

"Not hungry?" she asked looking at Jess still holding the cookie. Jess shrugged and forced down a bite of the cookie.

"You don't like cookies either?" Jack squeaked.

"I'm not a big chocolate fan." she confessed.

"You don't like chocolate!?!" he dropped his spoon, making a clatter. "You're definately an alien." Jess smiled.

The next morning Sam walked quietly across the hall and knocked on the door to Jess's appointed sleeping quarters. Jess opened the door and Sam immediately took in how tired the woman looked.

"No sleep huh?" she asked as the woman stepped out and closed the door behind her.

"I couldn't turn my brain off." she answered and follow Sam throught maze of concrete toward the infirmary.

"Yeah, thats what happens when your world is turned upside down."

"Sounds like someone who knows?"

"Its a regular occurance around here." Sam smiled, " A warning though, Dr. Frasier will lecture your ear off on lack of sleep if it becomes a regular thing."

"I heard that!" Janet yelled from her office as the entered the infirmary.

"Oh, and shes got super powers that giver her the ability to hear everything!" Sam joked. "Janet, Jess, Jess Janet" Sam introduced.

Jess shook her hand and shyly put her hands into her pockets.

"Don't look so scared. No matter what Colonel O'Neill has told you. I'm not all that bad." Janet smiled.

"Sorry." Jess appologized, "I'm a bit overwhelmed by all this."

"Well I would be worried if you weren't. Its not everyday you discover that aliens exist."

"And that you're one of them." Jess added.

"Well, thats not for sure yet. Hopefully thats what we're going to find out."

Jess let out a long sigh. "Lets do this then."

Five hours later Sam walked back into the infirmary. She had left shortly after dropping Jess off, so that Janet could begining running all her tests. She felt kind of bad for the young woman, being thrown into such an extensive physical. She walked in, taking note of the bed with the curtain drawn around it. She approached Janet, who was typing madly away at her computer.

"So, whats the verdict?" Sam asked

"Shes totally human." Janet answered. "But.."she added before Sam could answer. "There are some abnormalities."

"What kind of abnormalities?"

"Well for one, her brain is functioning at a much higher capacity then even yours. Shes got some elevated vitals, which is probably nothing considering how nervous she is. The most intersting though is the amount of electricity she's got running through her. The average human has electric currents running through them at all time. The brains way of telling the body what it wants you to do. Hers is quite a bit higher, as if her brain is building up energy for something."

"How does that relate to ancients?"

"If I had and ancient here to study I could answer that. All I can tell you now is that I do believe there is something a more then what we see to our girl."

"Hows she taking that?"

"Oddly well." Janet answered, "Shes very nervous though, I can tell. I can't make myself believe that shes some ancient being that is pretending to be someone else in order to hide out here on Earth for whatever reason. I think shes actually just a scared girl that has a weird genetic marker that set off the asguard bells."

"But why now. Shes 23 years old Janet, thats a long time for her to be here and for us to not know about it."


End file.
